Red Sox Notebook: Farrell shakes up Game 6 lineup

Unlike on Sunday night when Daniel Nava was moved up to Shane Victorino’s second in the batting order and Jonny Gomes inserted into the lineup batting fifth behind David Ortiz – Nava’s original spot – Red Sox manager John Farrell made more dramatic changes on Monday.

Shane Victorino’s bad back forced the Red Sox to scratch him from the lineup a couple of hours before the start of Game 4 of the World Series against the Cardinals on Sunday, and he wasn’t in the Game 5 lineup either.

But unlike on Sunday night when Daniel Nava was moved up to Victorino’s second in the batting order and Jonny Gomes inserted into the lineup batting fifth behind David Ortiz – Nava’s original spot – Red Sox manager John Farrell made more dramatic changes on Monday.

Jacoby Ellsbury was in his usual spot leading off, but then most players were moved up a spot, with Dustin Pedroia second, Ortiz third, Gomes fourth, Nava fifth, and Xander Bogaerts sixth.

"I just feel like today might be something where we’ve got to lengthen out the lineup a bit behind David," said Farrell. "We’ve made a subtle change, nothing dramatic. As we’ve seen, we haven’t put together many big innings, and that’s a credit to their pitching, and we feel like the more we can lengthen out and give ourselves more chances up and down the lineup, that’s where we’re at today."

Ortiz was hitting a preposterous .727 with a 2.114 OPS heading into Game 5, but with Mike Napoli forced to sit in order for Ortiz to play first base in the Cardinals’ home ballpark Ortiz has lost the protection of a feared bat behind him.

Now with both Gomes, who hit a critical three-run home run in Game 4, Nava, one of 12 players in the American League to hit over .300 this season, and the hot-hitting Bogaerts behind him, the Cardinals can’t pitch around Ortiz as easily.

And though Victorino wasn’t in the lineup for Game 5, unlike Sunday night, Farrell noted that Victorino was available.

"Shane is much improved from yesterday, and probably could have started today, so he’s available at full capacity," said Farrell. "The only question going into today was the duration in which he might be on the field, so rather than putting ourselves in a position where we’ve got to make a move and force our hand to eliminate a player, this way we can use him at our discretion."

Youth Infusion

Six years ago when the Red Sox last won the World Series, Ellsbury, Pedroia, and Jon Lester played critical roles even though none had been a starter before 2007 and only Pedroia was a regular even that season.

This year, as the Red Sox vie for their third championship in nine years, rookies Brandon Workman and Bogaerts, both of whom began the season in Double-A, have become important pieces.

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Workman, a pitcher, went 6-3 during the regular season, making some starts but mostly working out of the bullpen. And in six relief appearances during the postseason, he hasn’t allowed a run.

"Going into the season it was definitely a goal of mine, and I’m sure Bogie as well, to be able to make it up here," said Workman, "but then to be able to realize that dream and be playing and be able to contribute on this level, it’s been a special year."

Bogaerts, meanwhile, is a shortstop that made his debut with the Red Sox in August and played sparingly in September.

But this postseason, playing mostly third base in place of the struggling Will Middlebrooks, he’s compiled an OPS of 1.040 in 26 plate appearances.

"There were a long few months of the season for me," said Bogaerts, who just turned 21. "I started in Double-A, and now I’m here in the postseason when I never expected to be in the big leagues this year. I’m here in the World Series and we’re two games away from winning it, it’s pretty special."

Fungoes

Farrell confirmed that John Lackey will pitch Game 6 on Wednesday, and Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said Michael Wacha will start for St. Louis, setting up a rematch of Game 2. ...

Despite making what figures to be his last start of the season in Game 4, Clay Buchholz will be available to pitch if necessary when the series shifts back to Boston. ...

Both Games 3 and 4 ended in ways no prior World Series game had ever ended, Game 3 on an obstruction call and Game 4 on a pickoff. ...

The Red Sox’ win Sunday night ensured that they will go the entire season without a losing streak of longer than three games.

Eric Avidon can be reached at 508-626-3809 or eavidon@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @ericavidon.